Safe-hand



May 26, 1970 K. R. ELGIN ETAL 3,514,145

SAFE-HAND Filed Oct. 14, 1968 United States Patent 3,514,145 SAFE-HAND Kenneth R. Elgin, P.O. Box 7, and James 0. Youngblood,

200 Dunsmuir Ave., both of Dunsmuir, Calif. 96025 Filed (Pet. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 767,453 Int. Cl. A47f 13/06 U.S. Cl. 294-19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to radiator cap removing devices.

It is generally well known to those skilled in the art that it can be dangerous to remove a hot radiator cap from an automobile radiator when the vehicle is running hot. Many persons have been burned by grasping the hot radiator cap and others have been scalded by the hot coolant liquid or steam which issues upon removal of the radiator cap such scalding being liable to injure the arms, face and upper portion of the person removing the cap from an overheated combustion engine cooling system. This situation is in want of improvement.

Accordingly it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a tool for removing a hot radiator cap from an automotive radiator and which will permit the person to stand at a distance away during the removal operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safe-hand tool for removing a hot radiator cap which will prevent burning a persons fingers and which will further prevent scalding the person in case steam and hot liquid is discharged upon removal of the cap.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a safe-hand tool which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan View thereof shown in an alternate position; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a detachable extension sleeve which is used in conjunction with the present tool so as to provide access to radiator caps in an inaccessible area.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a safe-hand tool, according to the present invention, wherein there are a pair of levers 11 and 12 each of which is provided with a convenient grasp handle 13 at one end thereof.

The lever 11 has a rotating head 14 secured to the opposite end thereof by means of a bolt 15 secured by a 3,514,145 Patented May 26, 1970 nut 16. The rotating head 14 has a sidewardly extending lug 17 which is secured pivotally free by means of a bolt 18 to one end of a connecting rod 19 which at its opposite end is connected to an arm 20 which is rigidly afiixed to an opposite end of the lever 12. The arm 20 is mounted pivotally free upon a pin 21 secured to an intermediate portion of the lever 11 as shown in FIG. 2, the arm being spaced from the lever 11 by means of a wear pad 22. The pin 21 may if preferred comprise a bolt with a nut 23 upon the end thereof.

The rotating head includes grasping means for securement to a conventional radiator cap of an automobile radiator and as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing is of a configuration so as to be fitted thereupon, the rotating head having oppositely extending ears 24 into which the radiator cap lugs can be fitted.

In operative use, the rotating head is placed over a radiator cap and the person standing some distance away may then conveniently draw the handles 13 towards each other thus causing the lever 12 to pivot about the pin or bolt 21 and thus cause the connecting rod 19 to rotate the rotating head and thereby unscrew the radiator cap from the radiator. Should steam or hot liquid be ejected from the radiator upon removal of the cap, the person is standing sufliciently away so that he will not become scalded or otherwise burned thereby.

In FIG. 4 an accessory is shown which comprises an extension head 25 which is securable to the head 14, the extension 25 permitting access to radiator caps which are generally located in an inaccessible area. The extension head 25 includes openings or detents 2-6 which are engageable with corresponding elements in the rotating head 14, as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. The extension head has an underside which is similar to the underside of the rotating head 14 and thus includes a spring 27 which may be used for holding the radiator cap until released manually.

The cap replacement may be performed by a reverse procedure in the operation of the tool.

Thus there has been provided a safety tool which will permit the removal of a hot radiator cap and prevent a person from becoming scalded by the issue of hot liquid and steam under pressure when removing the cap.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safe-hand tool for removing hot radiator caps, the combination of a pair of levers, each of said levers having a convenient grasp handle at one end thereof, one of said levers comprising a means for grasping a hot radiator cap, and the other of said levers comprising a means for rotating hot radiator cap so as to unscrew the same from a radiator.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first of said levers has a rotatable head secured rotatably free to an opposite end thereof, said rotatable head comprising a member hollow upon its underside so as to receive therein said radiator cap, said head having a configuration of the edge contour of said radiator cap so as to permit grasp thereof, and said rotating head having means for temporarily holding said radiator cap.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second said levers has an arm rigidly secured to an opposite end thereof, said arm having an opening therethrough, said opening receiving a bolt fitted through an intermediate portion of the first said lever so to freely pivot said second lever respective to said first lever and a wear pad being fitted between the first said lever and said arm of said second lever.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said rotating head is provided with a sideward extending lug, said lug being connected pivotally free to one end of a connection rod, the opposite end of said connection rod being connected pivotally free to said arm of second lever whereby rotation movement is obtained by pivotal movement of said bolt.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein an extension head is securable to rotation head, said extension head providing access to recessed radiator caps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 8 1-5 3; 294-27 

